Covers and Pages
by Jaida857
Summary: After missing over four months of school, Jade shows up again, pregnant. Beck will hardly touch her, and she isn't acting like herself. This is the pregnancy of Jade West, told through the eyes of Tori Vega, where she learns that you truly can't judge a book by it's cover, or even it's pages. NOT Jori shipping, only heavy friendship. Contains Bade shipping at times.
1. Prologue: A Changed Face

**Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious, credit to Dan Schneider. Rated T for the themes and sensitive topics. **

**I know I've been starting too many stories lately, but this idea popped into my head and I knew that I had to write it. It was just one of those moments, those... wow moments. So, enjoy the prologue. More to come soon.**

* * *

I knew something had to be seriously wrong when Jade showed up to school pregnant, and Beck wasn't with her.

My first thoughts were of shock, then confusion, and then worry. I watched from my locker across the hall as Jade walked into Hollywood Arts for the first time in over four months. She had been on vacation, sure, but she told us that she would only be gone for two weeks, maybe one if her grandparents got annoyed with her. But after about three weeks, people were starting to ask questions. The teachers didn't know any more than we did, except that she was being excused for the extra days. Those days quickly turned into four and a half straight months.

When she did return, it was the end of January. She had left for her vacation a week into the school year, claiming that her grandparents had been planning it for years and they refused to reschedule for her school attendance. We had all shrugged and gone back to eating lunch.

I had a burning desire to go up to her and ask just what had happened since she left, because one, she had been gone four months longer than she told us she would be. Two, she was obviously pregnant. And three, Beck was no where to be seen. That also led to four, and the fact that Beck hadn't been in school for the past two weeks. The main reason I didn't go up and ask the second I saw her was simply because of who I was.

Jade and I both knew that we could never have a real friendship since I kissed her boyfriend on my second day at Hollywood Arts. That had been a long time ago, and I dearly regretted it, but despite my apologies she wouldn't listen, and I could hardly blame her. She wasn't my favourite person in the world either, but I still considered her a distant friend.

The reason that I _did _go up and ask when she closed her locker was because Jade West did not look like herself.

"Hey Jade!" I called to her as I shut my own locker and made my way across to her, offering her a wave and a friendly smile. "Long time no see!"

She didn't glance up at first, staring at her locker until I stopped next to her.

"What do you want Vega?" she asked heartlessly, eyes flicking up to my face and features hardening. I had to hold in my shock. Sure, I was used to her hard glares, but this was different. This wasn't angry or annoyed, it was just... defeated. Jade never looked like she had given up, but lo and behold, she looked the part to me on that day.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing," I explained, now on my guard and taking a precautionary step back. "I mean you haven't been in school for so long so I thought-"

"You thought what?" she snapped, turning to face me fully and give me a real Jade-style glare. "Thought I needed your help cause I missed some class? Just remember that I've still been here longer than you."

With that, she scowled and stormed right past me, and past a group of girls standing in the middle of the hall. I'm sure Jade would have stormed at the way to first period had one of the girls not snickered as Jade passed them and whispered a word unheard to me that made her stop in her tracks and give that girl the same glare I had received.

For a few endless seconds I thought Jade was going to bitch-slap that girl, the way her face was painted with a look of bloody murder. But then to my immense surprise, her shoulders sagged and she resumed her walk, much faster and more urgent. That was the moment I truly realized that things could never be the same.

* * *

I did not speak with Jade through first period, and I did not see Beck once. It wasn't as if I still had a crush on him, but he was a good friend and I was honestly worried about his girlfriend. If there was ever a time that Jade West looked like she needed support, it was that time.

After class I ignored Cat when she called to me and followed Jade to the far side of the school. She didn't see or hear me at first as was planned, and I felt a slight tinge of guilt as I was pursuing her, but I waved it off and reminded myself that whether she liked it or not, she obviously needed someone.

"Jade!" I finally called as I saw her slowing. She froze mid-stride at my voice and spun around lightning fast, her face only showing surprise. She said nothing, only hurrying back to me to grab my wrist and drag me through the halls into a janitors closet.

"How obvious is it?" she hissed to me after the door was slammed shut. She was facing me, a look similar to desperation on her face, and grumbled when I showed confusion.

"How noticeable is my stomach," she growled through clenched teeth, her words bringing realization to my face.

"Oh, ummm, it's... noticeable," I admitted carefully, not wishing to anger a pregnant Jade. She huffed and glanced down at herself with a face that almost looked like... disgust?

"Wonderful," she mumbled, her expression telling me that she was thinking very intently. After another half minute, my curiosity got the better of me and I had to ask.

"So is Beck the father?"

...I had only seen Jade cry once in the entire year and a half I had known her. That day in the janitor's closet, she did not cry, but she looked pretty darn close to it.


	2. More Confusion

**A couple things before this chapter. Firstly, I have no set date for when this takes place. I did say last chapter that Tori had known Jade for a year and a half, so I'd say they're seniors here. I think what I'll do is have this take place after every episode so far, keeping in mind that Beck and Jade ARE a couple at this point. When the Victorious finale comes out it may ruin this whole story, so just take it step by step and put this wherever it fits for you.**

**Secondly, these chapters will be fairly short. I think they'll mostly be around 1000 words, and yes this is intentional. I'm sorry if you guys don't like it, but I prefer to keep things short in stories like this and put only directly related events in the same chapters. But good news, this means I can update quicker than if I was writing with 4000 words a chapter. **

**Aaaaaaaand that's it. Reviews appreciated, favorites and follows make me smile, and I love all you guys who are reading, even if you don't do any of the earlier mentioned. Now enjoy the official first chapter! **

* * *

Beck did not answer any of the six phone calls I sent his way that night. I considered calling Jade to make an attempt to get a little more information, but decided against it very quickly. There was no use in trying to talk to Jade when she didn't want to be bothered.

I was sitting on my bed at about eleven o' clock with a math textbook in my lap, trying to unravel the pre-calculus problems lining the pages while my mind recalled the earlier events of the day. My thoughts kept travelling back to Jade and her bizarre behavior throughout all our classes, but I couldn't seem to understand any of it. During Sikowitz's class, which she often stated was her favorite she had simply sat in the back with her head down and her eyes blank. At the beginning Sikowitz had tried to ask her some questions about her extended trip, wisely skirting around her pregnancy in fear of a painful result. I distinctly remembered when he asked her if she met any nice people in whatever country she had been to, and watched in confusion as she visibly winced as if it were painful to think about.

What?

After that no one bothered her, except for me when I was dragged into a closet. She skipped lunch, and I heard a line of gossip from some ninth graders that she had locked herself in the washroom for the entire hour, plus next period.

I still hadn't the slightest clue what to think. I thought back through these events until my eyes drifted close around midnight and I finally fell into a deep slumber. No dreams came to me that night.

* * *

Trina wouldn't drive me to school in the morning. When I had stumbled down the stairs, still half asleep and my hair a mess, she was already dressed and ready and barreling out the door. She offered me no explanation, so blinking in early-morning stupor I called up Andre and had my ride. The second I got into his car I jumped on the questions.

"Do you know where Beck's been for two weeks?" I demanded as soon as the door slammed shut behind me. Andre shrugged as he pulled out of the driveway and began the quick five minute drive to Hollywood Arts.

"Beats me," he admitted, turning down the radio so we could hold a conversation. "I tried calling him like ten times yesterday alone, and he wouldn't answer. His parents said he's been out a lot."

"Something isn't right here," I mumbled, glancing down at my feet and kicking my toes against each other. "Beck must have known Jade would be back yesterday, and he wouldn't just leave her to come to school pregnant! It's not like him to be embarrassed about those things..."

"I'll give him another call when we get to school and see if he's willing to talk," he suggested, looking over to me briefly and offering me a reassuring smile. "Don't worry 'bout it Tori, I'm sure everything's a lot simpler than we think."

"You're probably right," I conceded with a small sigh. I knew I was probably trying to dig into things deeper than they would go. "Thanks Andre."

* * *

Turns out the call would not be necessary, as the first person Andre and I saw when we walked through the door was none other than Beck Oliver. We were planning on walking up to him to ask what was going on, but hesitated when Jade slowly sauntered in his direction and called his name. He didn't look at his girlfriend, only pausing in opening his locker and mouthing what looked like a "hey."

This was where they had me beyond lost.

Jade had been unaccounted for for over four months. I remember the day, about a week into her vacation, when Beck had received a phone call in first period and dashed out of the class without another word. He missed the next day of school and the following day he hardly spoke. We didn't push into it too much when he remained silent and would only give a half-hearted smile at best.

What had me truly baffled was him not showing up on the day his girlfriend returned, and now basically ignoring her when he does come back. Things weren't adding up at all in my mind and I wasn't pleased about it one bit.

Andre and I exchanged a worried look when Beck and Jade exchanged a few hushed words without once actually facing one another. After half a minute Jade suddenly turned and made a swift escape, leaving Beck to gaze after her and run a hand through his hair, a move he often made when he was upset. It was then that Andrew and I delicately made our way over to our friend and put on our most welcoming smiles.

"Sup Beck?" Andre said as we stopped next to him kneeling at his locker. He finished getting his books for the day and slammed his locker shut with a smidgen more force than per the usual.

"Hey guys," he greeted us tonelessly, offering a weak smile and head nod.

"So how've you been lately?" I questioned carefully, testing the waters with what I assumed would be a safe question. Beck frowned, staring down at the book in his hands before giving a quick shrug.

"I've just, ah, been feeling sick lately," he replied in a voice that made me sense there was much more to the story than he would let on. I decided not to push it past that for the time being. "You know, winter bug and all."

"Good to see you're _better _now, right?" Andre asked, emphasizing the word "better" for added effect. Beck nodded absentmindedly before shoving the last book into his bag.

"I'll see you guys in class," he said before taking off down the hall, the same way Jade had disappeared moments before. I looked to Andre to see if he had any better idea of what could be going on, but to my disappointment he seemed just as clueless as I was feeling. We shared a similar expression before I sighed and trudged off to my locker. The only thing on my mind now was how to get to the bottom of things without annoying my friends.

A daunting task indeed.


	3. Separation and Connection

**Oooooh, slightly longer chapter than usual!**

**I'm sorry if things don't make sense, but I can't offer any explanation without ruining the entire story. That's just how this story is. You'll get all the answers you want eventually, but it could take some time to get there and there's no sneak previews.**

**Degrassi223 has anonymously reviewed both chapters so far, leaving only questions. I'm sorry to say that once again, I cannot offer you an answer for the sake of the story. Any tiny thing I tell you will spoil it all. But please don't let that discourage you. By the time this story comes to a close, all will be clear and understandable. Now, enjoy!**

* * *

My eyes traveled back and forth over the faces of my three friends, and my sister who had somehow managed to bust in to our meeting uninvited. Normally we would have asked her to leave, some of us less than politely, but we were all far too concerned with Beck and Jade to take much notice of her. She just sat painting her nails while we consulted.

"Jade wouldn't answer her phone after she left on vacation," Cat was telling us from where she was seated on the floor, leaning back against the couch. Her face was hidden from my view but her voice sounded worried, which was never a good thing. "She always answers my calls. Maybe she hates me now..."

The bipolar redhead trailed off, obviously having decided that her best friend hated her. Within half a second Robbie was trying to comfort her and convince her that everyone still loved her.

"Maybe we should just ignore it," he suggested after a moment of speaking with Cat. "I mean, do we really want to get on Jade's bad side? I bet if we do nothing then everything will work out."

"I don't know Robbie," I mumbled, biting a loose nail in my frustration. "What if she really needs our help? And what about Beck? It can't be easy getting his girlfriend pregnant at seventeen..."

"Unless she cheated on him," Trina suggested in a matter-of-fact tone. I whipped my head around to glare at her, but she ignored me and continued blowing on her wet nails.

"Jade is a lot of things, but she would never cheat," I said in voice that sounded near a growl. My sister let her hands fall into her lap and raised an eyebrow at me.

"Calm down sis, I was only putting it out there," she defended herself, finally standing up to vacate the living room and make her way up the stairs. I breathed a sigh of relief when she disappeared and turned back to my friends.

"So what should our next move be?" I questioned, leaving the open question floating in the air for anyone to snatch up and reply to.

"Maybe we should go talk to both of them," Andre suggested, "or at least try to. The best we could do is try to get _them _to talk."

"What do you mean?" Cat inquired with a tilt of her head.

"I mean we go to their houses, two of us to each, and try to start a normal conversation. Make them comfortable. If something's wrong they'll probably tell us."

"Robbie and I will go talk to Beck!" Cat shouted immediately, jumping to her feet and sitting back down next to the before mentioned boy.

"Hey, why do you two get to talk to _my _best friend?" Andre complained, his voice resembling that of a whining three year old. I held back a smirk and waited for an explanation, equally curious.

"Because Jade hates me right now and Robbie is afraid of her," Cat stated simply, smiling at her own logic. Andre pouted in an amusingly un-boyish way while I shrugged.

"Sounds fair enough," I agreed, watching Robbie sigh in relief at not having to deal with our gothic friend when she was hormonal and pregnant. "Tomorrow is Saturday, so we can all go and talk to them. Just remember not to ask too many questions, not unless they seem willing to answer. There's no use in driving our friends away."

In all honesty that was what had been plaguing my mind since our conversation began, and even since the previous day when I had attempted to speak with Jade. The last thing I wanted was for either of them to get annoyed with us and end up further away than they already were.

* * *

Andre picked me up early the following morning, explaining that his grandmother had been staying at his house recently and she was beginning to drive him nutty. I held in a laugh and gave him an encouraging smile.

"Don't worry, pretty soon your sister will have to learn to take care of her, because _you _will be off on some huge world tour," I said simply, because I knew it would probably be true. Andre did already have a minor-contract with a record label, which would come into full effect when he graduated.

After that neither of us said a word, both consumed in our own thoughts for the remainder of the drive. The previous night I had considered risking a text to Jade, but almost instantly decided against it. There really was no reason to have her put out with me before we even saw her in person.

My mind wandered back to the previous day and the ever peculiar way Beck and Jade were acting towards each other. When Andre and I had walked into first class, Beck was conversing with Sikowitz at the front of the room and Jade was sitting in the back, arms crossed and eyes downcast. The two of us took seats near the front of the room, but we both watched as Beck strolled back to Jade and sat down next to her. Normally he would put his arm around her, or she would lean her head on his shoulder, but she had only given him a short "hello" and looked away again. Beck himself seemed to be leaning away from his girlfriend with a pained expression on his face.

I was still reluctant to entertain the possibility of Jade cheating, but I didn't have a better explanation that made any sense. The obvious incident was that Beck and Jade weren't careful enough sometime after Jade's vacation was over. That would have made sense, except that Jade missed four months after she was supposed to get back, and now they wouldn't even touch each other. Trina's suggestion was making more and more sense, but I was _not _going to be the one to suggest it to her. Even if it were true, which I tried to tell myself was impossible, she would beat me without hesitation if I so much as hinted at it.

I was snapped out of my reverie when Andre pulled into the driveway of the West residence, waiting an extra second before cutting the gas to make it clear that someone was here. Taking a long deep breath, I undid my seat belt and opened the passenger door, stepping out and carefully shutting it behind me. Andre and I looked at each other, and I could tell that he was putting on a brave face for me as I was trying to do for him. A few seconds passed, and then we made our way up to the front door side by side, taking comfort in having a friend nearby. I was about to reach my hand up and knock on the door when I heard a sudden shout from inside, followed by a loud crash and shattering sound.

I saw Andre turn his head to me from the corner of my eye, but I did not glance over. Instead I took another deep breath and steeled myself up, making a fist and giving the door a few solid knocks.

I heard someone quiet down mid-shout, and a moment later the door unlocked and flew open to reveal a very exasperated and worn-out Jade.

Oh, and it may be critical to mention that she had a large black-eye.

"What do you guys want?" she spat at us, her words laced with venom and her eyes promising violence if the wrong answer was given. At this I saw Andre step back and gesture to me. I held in an eye roll for my own safety and put on the best smile I could muster.

"We just wanted to see if you were busy," I answered quickly, not bothering to fabricate some complex story to get her willing to talk, which she obviously wasn't at the moment. "Thought the three of us could hang out, catch up with one another."

At this Jade rolled her own eyes, stealing a glance behind her before stepping outside and pulling the front door shut.

"Listen, it's great and all that you care so much about me, but I don't need you right now," she hissed in a hushed whisper, as if there were someone else nearby she didn't want to hear us. "I think it's best for all of us if you just-"

"Jadelyn, I'm not done with you!" came a muffled holler from inside the house. I gazed in shock as she winced and a hand flew to her black-eye.

"I'll be a minute dad!" she screamed back at him, causing Andre and I to flinch back a few inches. "Let me get rid of them first."

At that she turned to face us fully and dropped her hand. I could tell that she was attempting to look cross with us, but after the short ordeal with her father she only appeared scared.

"Look, I need you both to leave, right now," she said in a hurry, tapping her foot impatiently against the stone patio. "I'd say please but you weren't invited here in the first place."

That was enough to cause Andre to spin around and make his quick escape. Jade nodded once and made as if to go back in, but I bravely and stupidly grabbed her arm to stop her. She glared daggers at me and I let go immediately.

"What Vega?" she demanded in a whisper, her hand inching towards the door in my peripheral vision.

"Is your dad..." I trailed off, testing the waters delicately and gauging her reaction to my words. "I mean, does he-"

"Just remember this," Jade cut me off shortly, the anger fading from her eyes as she sighed and placed her hand fully on the doorknob. "I'm blaming you if my bruises are still noticeable on Monday."


	4. A Lovers Concord

**I am mostly pleased with this chapter. Not only is it much longer than I expected, but the entire thing was spontaneous. I had planned out the entire story down to the last detail and THIS came from no where, completely replacing an idea I already had. And you know what? I love it. The writing itself isn't my best, but I'm happy with what I have. Now, enjoy!**

* * *

_Two months later..._

You'd be surprised how much things don't change in two months. When lunch time rolled around that sunny March afternoon I found myself seated at our usual table, Beck and Jade next to each other but never touching or vocalizing their feelings to one another with more than a "hello."

Andre, Robbie, Cat and I had all stopped questioning it a few days after Jade had returned to school. Following the incident at her house I was almost afraid to bring it up again. When Andre and I returned to my house we found Cat and Robbie sitting on the couch inside, Trina having let them in half an hour before. Robbie was holding the tearful redhead in his arms and explained that Beck had been very short with them both, his last words being shouted through a locked RV door. I was thoroughly shocked. That was the kind of behaviour I expected from Jade but not from her boyfriend. Beck was far too sweet to get angry in that way, or so I thought.

"Could someone pass the salt?" I asked after a long and awkward silence at our table. I didn't actually need saltier fries, but the tension in the air was threatening to snap on it's own if someone didn't speak. Jade, being closest to the salt, rolled her eyes and leaned over the table to hand it to me. When she pulled back her face visibly paled and she sat up straighter. Everyone seemed to notice and suddenly all eyes were on her.

"Jade, are you-" Beck started what sounded like the first full sentence between them in months, but in an instant Jade launched out of her seat, pausing to grab Cat's arm before dragging her friend away. My three remaining friends all eyed each other in confusion. Beck looked as if he wanted to go after them before thinking better of it.

"What's wrong with Jade?" I finally voiced the question on everyone's mind. Beck sighed and dug into his salad.

"Pregnant girls tend to throw up," he mumbled, his face unreadable.

_That tears it, _I thought in real anger. I glared at him openly for half a second before standing up myself and walking around the table to grab Beck and pull him away from our other friends. They called after us but I ignored them, stopping just outside the doors into the school and facing an apprehensive Beck.

"What's up Tori?"he inquired, and I was reminded once again at how much two of my friends had changed by the sound of his voice.

"What is with you?!" I demanded in a noisy whisper, hitting his arm hard enough to cause him to flinch.

"I don't know what you mean," he shrugged, refusing to meet my furious gaze. "I was just-"

"Jade is your girlfriend, right?" I interrupted. Beck glanced up to finally look at me this time.

"Right," he confirmed as if it were still obvious.

"Your girlfriend is pregnant, right?"

"Yeah."

"And you still love her, _right?_"

"Of course I do!"

I took a step back at the shouted response, raising my eyebrows at my friend. Now it was his turn to look cross with me.

"I don't know how you could even ask me that question! I love Jade, alright? I love her more than any person in the world and that's never going to change. I will _never _stop loving her. I never have stopped loving her! Even when we broke up all those times I only loved her more. It made me realize why I put up with her on the bad days that come along a lot more than the good days. I realized that I need her, and I'm pretty sure that she needs me too. So don't for one second go thinking that I don't love her anymore..."

Beck trailed off after the confession, giving a heavy sigh and leaning back against the wall behind him.

"It's complicated Tori," he said in a voice so low I had to lean closer to hear him. "It's so, so complicated. But of course I love her."

"Why don't you tell her then?" I suggested gently, offering a friendly smile along with my words. I saw him frown briefly before straightening up and looking me dead in the eye.

"Will you go check on her for me?" he pleaded in a way that sounded desperate. "I can't go in the girls washroom."

"Sure," I agreed, my smile widening to mirror the one now appearing on his face. I pulled him in for a quick hug before opening the doors and going inside to search for the nearest washroom.

* * *

I didn't have to search for long. I had been right in assuming that Jade would rush to whichever girls room she could find first, even if it was the single stall one with a broken soap dispenser that I found myself entering. To my relief I couldn't hear her throwing up anymore, but what I heard instead surprised me. It sounded as if someone was crying from inside the stall, but trying to hold in their tears. I hesitantly picked my way over to the door and knocked on it twice.

"Jade?" I called as quietly as possible. "You in there?"

I stepped back as I heard the lock click open and watched as Cat peeked around the faded door.

"What do you want Vega?" I heard Jade say from inside the stall. A silent agreement passed between me and Cat as she swung the door open to let me in. Luckily for us it was one of the large stalls, room enough for three people, not that it was necessary in normal cases. Cat carefully closed the door and locked it again as I stood awkwardly in the middle, unsure of my next move. Jade was sitting on the floor leaning back against the bathroom wall, looking as if she were trying to hide the fact that she was wiping tears away. I watched as Cat flew past me and knelt down next to her friend, stroking her hair in comfort.

"I said what do you want?" Jade repeated with a tone of malice in her question. Cat visibly pouted but didn't take her eyes off of her best friend.

"I was worried, and Beck asked me to check on you," I replied honestly, earning me a confused half-glare from my pregnant friend.

"Yes, Beck," I continued, feeling the need to defend him. "The guy who couldn't shut up about how much he loves you after you and Cat left."

"I..." Jade began, any signs of anger fading from her expression as she stared at me open mouthed. Whatever she would have said after that was interrupted by the overhead speaker and the voice of our principal.

"Caterina Valentine, you're wanted in room 143."

Cat let out a defiant whine and made no move to stand up and leave her clearly distressed friend. After a few long seconds of silence Jade sighed and waved her off.

"Go on Kitty Cat, I'll be fine," she insisted. I raised an eyebrow at the nickname while Jade only rolled her eyes at my response.

"I'll call you tonight!" Cat promised before giving her friend a hug and hurrying out of the bathroom. I let the door remain unlocked and slowly sat down in the middle of the space. Jade was once again staring down at her lap, although her expression had changed. She looked as if she was deep in thought and didn't acknowledge my presence.

"What happened between you and Beck?" I blurted out, silently cursing myself for letting it slip. Jade shook her head and I saw a ghost of a smile appear on her lips.

"Nothing really," she admitted, shrugging and bringing her gaze up to mine. I was instantly cautious at her openness. "I mean sure, stuff happened. We talked about everything and we've tried to work through it but... it's complicated."

I smiled sadly, trying not to let my bewilderment show. I hardly knew any of the story and yet Jade was sitting here being more honest with me that I felt she'd ever been. Maybe it was just the mood swings but I felt it had to be something more.

"He really does love you," I said softly, gathering up the courage to slide across the floor until I was sitting next to Jade against the wall. I heard a single chuckle under her breath, another anomaly.

"I know he does. I-"

Jade cut off from her sentence suddenly and reached down into her pocket to reveal a vibrating phone. The number on the screen was unfamiliar to me but it caused her to frown and quickly accept the call.

"Hello?" she answered rather breathlessly. "No I haven't, I... no no no, that can't be right. He didn't say he was going- I know that moron! Just tell me what..."

I heard her trail off and I tried to entertain myself with the floor tiles during the lengthy pause. The silence lasted for nearly two minutes until she finally spoke again.

"I understand. Thank you."

With that she hung up her phone and shoved it back into her pocket with more force than necessary. I risked a glance over to see her face appearing hard as a stone. She didn't speak, she didn't blink... I couldn't even see her breathing.

"Like I said," she broke the silence after an eternal pause, her voice raspy and emotionless, "complicated."

I watched as Jade carefully stood up from next to me, using the metal bar on the wall for support, and made her way out of the stall without another word to me. I sat there for at least another two minutes, my mind reeling at the entire ordeal until I heard two familiar voices outside of the washroom. I rose to my feet as silently as possible and made my way over to the door frame. There was no door itself on this washroom, something many girls had complained about before, but it served me well as I peeked around the opening into the hall without making a sound.

I did not expect to see Beck and Jade standing there having a conversation. A _real _conversation, something I hadn't observed since before Jade had left.

"I don't want to think about it," I heard Jade mumble, barely audible to my ears. She was leaning back against a couple of lockers with her arms crossed, Beck standing about a foot in front of her.

"That's fine, we don't have to talk about it," he conceded, his voice gentle. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

"Of course I'm not okay!" she cried, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "After this, and... and everything."

"Hey, it'll be alright," Beck said in a quiet, comforting voice, taking a step forward to close the distance to his girlfriend. I watched as Jade flinched back when he stepped closer with a hand outstretched. Beck instantly dropped it and the expression on his face was so heartbroken that I felt tears well up in my own eyes.

"I'm sorry Jade, I didn't-" he began, but cut off when Jade looked up to meet his gaze. Neither of them spoke for a moment, only staring at each other with equal expressions of sadness and longing. It was finally Jade who restarted their conversation.

"You know you haven't touched me in months," she stated, uncrossing her arms and leaving them dangling at her sides.

"Well I can't exactly do that until after-" he started to say but stopped when she didn't looked amused.

"That's not what I meant," she scoffed, brushing aside the joke as the serious atmosphere returned. "I mean..."

What happened next may not have made sense to me in the long run, but I would later understand the significance of it and just how monumental it really was. Had I known at the time the simple action would have caused me to break down in tears. As it were though, I was still deeply moved.

Jade began to move her right hand, very slowly and hesitantly at first. Beck's face was a mixture of shock and yearning, melting into nothing but pure, raw emotion as she intertwined his fingers with her own, taking it a step further and raising their connected hands. Beck took over from there and held his girlfriend's cheek with such a loving expression in his eyes that I could have cried. I watched as a single tear fell down Beck's face and heard him sniff back a sob. Jade smiled, a genuine smile that I rarely saw and definitely hadn't seen since she returned.

"I missed you," I heard Beck mumble, his voice cracking as he trailed his hand down her face and arm to rest on her enlarged stomach. "And we're going to make this work. I love you Jade."

"I love you too," Jade said in a voice choked with emotion. Without another word between them she leaned forward, closing the final distance and kissing Beck with such a passion I had never witnessed before in my life.

I had the sudden feeling that I was an unwelcome audience to a private moment between lovers. A deep blush lighting up my cheeks, I stole back into the washroom and played the conversation back through my mind, a smile on my face that I couldn't seem to get rid of. I had almost decided to put myself out of the picture entirely and leave them to their moment when I realized I would have to walk past them to do so. Cursing myself for something that wasn't even my fault I peeked back around the corner, wondering if luck would turn in my favour and they would be too caught up to notice. Instead I found them both smiling and laughing, wrapped in each others arms and looking happier that I'd ever seen them. I huffed quietly and brightened my smile as I walked out to greet them.

"Hey guys!" I called as I stopped next to them. They both turned to face me and instead of detaching themselves from one another, Beck kept one arm around Jade's shoulders and held her close, causing my smile to widen.

"I was wondering when we'd see you," Jade commented with a sly wink that told me she knew I had been watching them. I laughed and cherished the small act of friendship she offered.

"It's actually good that you're here," Beck began cautiously, his eyes flicking to his girlfriend before focusing back on me. "I need a favour for Jade."

"Beck," Jade said with a distinctive tone of warning in her voice which he promptly ignored.

"Listen, Tori... Jade needs a place to stay tonight. It would only be a few days max. I would let her stay with me as always, but she's, well... pregnant. I can't support her properly like you could, having an actual house and all."

Jade let out a moan and leaned her head into Beck's shoulder. He responded by kissing the top of her head and smiling.

"Oh come on, Tori isn't that bad," he insisted, and I had to roll my eyes. I knew I would probably regret what I was about to say, but I knew that Jade needed someone to look out for her. Questioning it wouldn't do me any good. For whatever reason she didn't have anywhere to live and thus came to me. Well, Beck came to me for her.

"Jade, you can stay at my house for a few nights if you need to," I agreed, pushing any and all rivalry we had aside for the moment. I saw Jade roll her eyes at me, look to Beck as if for confirmation, and then turn to look me straight in the eye.

"Thanks Vega," she conceded with a reserved half-smile on her face. I could tell that even after our exchange in the washroom she wasn't at all pleased to be my new roomie for who knows HOW long. Beck seemed to sense this and ruffled her hair gently.

"Don't worry babe, if it's okay with Tori I'll come over after school with you so you can get settled in."

"That's fine with me," I nodded. I was fairly sure my parents wouldn't mind a house guest for a couple nights, especially considering her current status. I knew that I would end up asking just _why _she needed to be at my house, but I pushed the question out of my mind for the time being.

"Well... I'm sure you guys want some time alone," I suggested, feeling the need to give them more time to get over whatever had been in the way of their relationship for the past two months. Beck smiled in thanks and Jade nodded once to me. I took that as my cue to vacate the area and leave them to each other. As I walked away I glanced back over my shoulder one final time to see Beck already pulling his girlfriend in for an embrace, and I felt the wide smile appear on my face.

Now that's better.


End file.
